The Planemeld
Tired orange and yellow leaves fell about the campsite. Almost glinting like gold coins in the warming light of the sun. Embers slowly slept in the remains of the campfire, and the farmers of Soubar arose to eat their oats and bread before a long days work. The shrill shriek of a roosters caw echoed across the village in the valley, stirring the rest of the residents from their slumber. With them, our heroes were no exception. Another day of flying onward toward their mission, hopefully with enough speed to save the lives of the simple village folk of the south. But fate was once again fluid. and paths would change. (For neither the first - or the last time) "Hail, Velmeros and company!" shouted a desperate rider from across the way as he galloped purposefully toward the party. He bore the heraldry of Shaarmid and sat atop an exhausted plow horse. Saryn and Randall were keen eyed enough to recognise the guardsman as one who had fallen in the church fighting Zarrog. The guardsman told the group that something was stirring within Zarrog's resting place, and that green light once again glowed from the ruins. Urging the party to hurry, the guardsman suddenly turned to dust and bone. Worrying the nearby civilians. Velmeros took the poor horse by its briddle and bid a farmer girl to take the sad creature in. She accepted, full of fear and pleaded with the demonkin to leave her be. Meanwhile at the camp, Thegnir attempted to speak with the soul of the guardsman. But found that his soul was simply missing. The group decided that it would be in their best interests to save Shaarmid from Zarrog once again, for soon it would be in their hands. Velmeros once again took the initiative and asked the same farmer girl where the nearest city would be, asking her about teleportation circles and the like. The girl told the Sorcerer that the nearest city is Scornubel and once again begged the Tiefling to leave her be! And so, Velmeros returned and began to prepare to cast Polymorph. After some persuading Duraz (Of all people) managed to compel Velmeros into transforming Saryn and giving him a taste of his lifes wish. The party flew east on dragon back, reaching the outskirts of Scornubel within an hour. A botched landing forced Thegnir from Saryns back and onto the floor of the forest canopy. Damaging his leg fiercely. Randall too was swept from Saryn by the same branch, yet his uncanny dexterity allowed him to grasp the very tip of Saryns tail, only causing him minor grazing. After recuperating the company made their way in to Scornubel, but stopped to gamble with a cocky young juggler. "I've been jugglin' since I came out me mam's slit! Go on, chuck 'em in!" cried the lad, as velmeros tossed his beautiful dagger into his juggling pattern. The boy didn't even seem to notice, and carried on juggling flawlessly. Velmeros then threw him the second dagger to juggle, as per their wager. A flash of blood shot from the lads palm, and the act crashed down around his ankles whilst he knelt, clutching his bloody palm. Randall took the opportunity to swipe the lads coins, and Velmeros left his beautiful carved dagger between the lads legs. They left him there, sobbing. Crying "You arsehole" at the back of Velmeros. Meanwhile, Saryn and Duraz took to examining a gem peddlers wares. But on closer inspection, the gems were few and most of the stall was made up of shiny stones and precious minerals. Whilst Saryn argued with the peddler, Duraz managed to spot a gem of actual value, and swiped it with ease. Later he would give it to Saryn as a gift. The party reformed and moved on to find information about teleportation circles. They approached the largest caravan (Roughly the size of a bungalow) and asked the fat, mustached merchant by the name of "Leopold Thentabont", where to find the nearest teleportation circle. After buying the information from Leopold, he divulged that Lady Rhessajan Ambermantle might have one of her own. Velmeros began to browse the mans various trinkets at this point, whilst Duraz and Randall tried to blend into a children's party across the road. After a while Duraz returned to the merchant to browse with Velmeros. Duraz purchased a brooch of shielding, to aid against defending from those pesky magic users. Whilst Velmeros bought cloak clasps for himself and Duraz. Satisfied with their purchases, the group moved on to meet with Lady Rhessajan and ask for her leave to use her teleportation circle. Yet, they left Randall behind to feast with the celebrating family. "Elian I have set the taxes for trade coming in by sea, and I won't change it again!.. Ah, but councilman. It appears that I have other council to attend. Please, approach travelers!" beckoned Lady Ambermantle. Dispatching the two away. Velmeros explained the situation but, the Lady seemed apprehensive towards his plea. Denying him and his friends use of her circle. Yet, talk turned to future trade and her disposition became more amicable. With the promise of trade from Randal's new Kingdom (From Velmeros) she escorted the group to her wizards dorm. Meanwhile Randal stood in the hall. Staring at the Lady;s beautiful cup. Craving it. Drinking in its features. Then the plates. Even the cutlery. It was all just sat there... callling. Pleading with him to be taken away. It deserved to be with him. But Duraz came bounding over and convinced Randal that there were bigger fish to fry. Within the Wizards dorm, the group met with Jhiqorro (The Lady's court wizard) who set about making the preparations to send them to Shaarmid. Whilst they waited, Lady Ambermantle told her Wizard to inform Velmeros of the proper runes to be sent to Baldur's Gate and Shaarmid. Which he did. Half of the group arrived in Shaarmid after a strange journey, Saryn stumbled out of the circle, dizzy and bumped into a bookcase. Startling a Wizards apprentice. "What're you doing here?! My master didn't inform me of this! Who are you? You could've sent a raven to at least warn us! Guards! Guards!" Then the rest of the group arrived "More of you!? More Guards! More Guards! I will fetch my master! Hopefully he will make sense of this!" and with that two guards entered the study. Blocking the exit as the apprentice shot out of the door and down the long hall. The guards recognized the group as the dragon slayers and had them brought before King Kelvin Delridge. Kelvin was dressed in a kings finery. Looking very regal. The group began to tell Kelvin that they were answering to the rider that he had sent. Kelvin informed them that he didn't send anyone. Velmeros said that there was a rider sent and it was one of Kelvin's own men. Kelvin said he didn't send anyone and asked if Velmeros was joking with him. Velmeros explained that the rider told them that Zarrogs wasn't dead. At which point Kelvin became very, very condescending and irritable. Commanding the group to leave his audience chambers and go to Zarrogs resting place, seems though are so set on it. Randal stayed behind. He took a good long look at Kelvin. "Randal, have you grown deaf over these past two years?" probed Kelvin. Who was met with a mute stare. "Randal, you can leave these halls on your feet, or I can have you dragged through them on your face." threatened Kelvin. Randal smiled, and with cool and cold demeanor said "I was just getting one last good look at you.." and with that, Randal took himself from the hall, whilst Kelvin barked obscenities at his Queen. The familiar church was once again lit with a familiar light, and through the ajar door the company saw that Zarrog, in his true form laid at the back of the church. Coiled as if slumbering or dead. Stepping inward, the group found three towering figures, clad in strange jet black plate and mail. They seemed to be channeling a spell with some strange Green oblong crystal. "Let's approach quietly" suggested Velmeros. To which Saryn hastily replied "Hey, guys! Watch this!" and right then and there, broke his own hand with a botched spell. A knight with an exotic greatsword strode from the gathering. Speaking with six voices at once. "Ah, the interlopers. We finally meet. Now we can cut two cords with a single cleave." "Who are you!" Shouted Velmeros. "We are the masters of fate. We are the weavers of the tapestry. We are the Knights of the Calendar. And now, we shall end your meddling!" With that, battle was joined. The Knight charged forward, straight through a wall of fire. Leaving his companions behind, burning. The fight was short and Randal put an end to the Knight. Stabbing his longsword up into his foes armpit. The armor fell limp, as if the body inside was no longer there. And then within a blink, the armor itself disappeared. The crystal at the back of the church then suddenly shone with a bright aura, the green light now condensed into a strong mist surrounding the strange crystal. Velmeros and Randal motioned for Duraz to destroy the crystal. Duraz charged forward, lept into the air, brought his hammer down on the crystal! - and disappeared in a green flash of light. Randal approached the crystal and again, disappeared. Saryn slowly placed the very tip of his index finger on the crystal. Gone in a flash. Velmeros waited, deep in thought. The light grew dimmer. Velmeros waited. The light grew even dimmer. Velmeros thought. The light was barely visible. Velmeros waited. And when the light of the crystal died out. It imploded in a similar green wink. Leaving Velmeros alone in the church, with Zarrogs body. Duraz, Randal and Saryn. Were blinded, dazed and confused. Through the blackness, they heard a gruff voice. "Warick! You have to kill me!" Their vision came to and an Old man was holding the end of his staff in a Hobgoblins mouth. A guard captain threw over his desk and drew his sword. "First you tell me about demons from the Island! and now demons appear in my office!" pointing the tip of his sword towards Saryn mainly. There was a heated discussion as explosions began to ring out in the city and fires began to rise. Lorek, the Hobgoblin took his sword and laid it against his throat. "I die with honour and we can depart as friends." Duraz tried to stop the Hobgoblin, yet for once he was overpowered and the Goblinoid lay dying in a pool of his own blood. At this point a goblin with a captains hat burst into the office, screaming and wailing. Warick, Randal and Saryn suggested that the group leave whilst they might still have the chance. The guard captain demanded that the group assembled do something! "You brought these demons here! You have thus killed all the people in this city! The least you can do is stay here and die with the--" At this point Duraz grabbed the captain by his face and flung him backward through his window. He died in the small garden below. Torrin, the dragonborn lept from the window. "I gotta' get outta here" he cried as he disappeared below. Errid, the Ranger managed to convince the few that remain to stand and fight the demons and even managed to convince Nalik, the goblin into stop being so cowardly and aid the wounded. The group cut their way from the Highwash down to the Kraken Bay. Fighting through Imps and devils, maneuvering around fires, jumping from rooftops. Soon they met the Balor chief, R'xagamuut. To the groups surprise, he was being subdued by the same Knights who they had fought previous. "Now is not the allotted time, demon. Return to your Island. We command it." Spoke the six same voices, from the same single knight. The group leaped into the fray and after a long and epic struggle, they brought down the knights and the Balor chief and the remaining demons now leaderless scurried back into the water, and made back for the island of their initial summoning. Journeying back to the office, just in the nick of time the crystal appeared once more. Blinking into existence with a green flash. The two groups said their goodbyes, but before Duraz, Randal and Saryn took flight, Randal turned to Warwick and asked him to come with him. He would be needed for the coming war. Warwick accepted, as did Errid and Mifang asked if he could stay with his friends. To which the group accepted. Ebberon now having nothing to offer the group after the great turmoil, the party returned to Faerun. Where their companion, Velmeros waited patiently...